I miss us

(RENNA'S POV)

"I feel there's a lot you have been hiding from me, luna," Ashley said. her amber wolf eyes narrowing in disapproval. The sharp tone of her voice felt like claws scraping against my guilt.

I sighed and looked away, knowing she was right. We were alone in my quarters within the pack's medical wing. 

I sighed and my gaze dropped to the floor. She was right, after all. We were alone in my room within the pack's healing wing, where I’d been recovering after a near- fatal encounter with Sofia.

My strength had returned after Nicholas brought me clothes, a hearty meal, and herbs from the pack healer. Yet, the weight of secrets hung heavily in the air. I hadn’t seen him since.

"You know," Ashley continued, arms crossed over her chest, "it’s unfair to call me your best friend and keep things from me."

"Fine," I relented, feeling the weight of her persistence. "What do you want to know?" I raised my eyebrows. 

"For starters, who is Sofia? She's the she-wolf I told you I saw Nicholas escorting into the pack house. Why is she here, and what is she to him? Because it sure as hell looks like he cares more about her than he should." She murmured.

I exhaled slowly, steeling myself. As much as I wanted to avoid this conversation, Ashley deserved answers.

I then chose my words carefully and I explained Sofia's sudden reappearance in our lives, how she was Nicholas's childhood friend—a rogue who had once been close enough to the pack to be trusted. I spoke of her pregnancy but left out two critical details: how she pushed me during a confrontation and the secret of my own unborn pup.

"Nicholas didn’t believe my side of the story, he didn’t believe my accusations against Sofia, and without evidence, it was just my word against hers", I went on with speaking but didn't speak about my pregnancy. As for the pup growing inside me, I wasn’t ready to share that news, not with anyone, not even my mate.

By the time I finished explaining, Ashley’s wolf was bristling with anger, her emotions bubbling beneath the surface. "So, what’s your plan, luna? You can’t let her stay here, constantly inserting herself into your mate bond and trying to claim what’s yours. She’s clearly trying to take your place as his Luna."

"I don’t know what to do, Ashley" I admitted, my voice cracking under the weight of my frustration.

"With Sofia around, I feel like an outsider. She knows Nicholas's past so intimately —everything about him , things that I don’t know", I went on.

Ashley softened, her gaze steady but kind. "Listen to me. Nicholas grew up with her but she is just his past. Don’t let her make you feel inferior, luna. You’re his mate—his mate and future. Don’t let her make you question that." her voice firm but encouraging. 

A small smile tugged at my lips. That was Ashley—my best friend, my rock. She always knew the right words to lift me up when I felt like I was sinking. She always had a way of grounding me, her confidence in me unwavering.

"Thank you," I said, emotion thick in my voice. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."

She grinned, her wolfish humor breaking through. "Of course. "You’re my Luna," she replied with a teasing grin. "It’s my job to make sure you don’t forget how incredible you are."

For a while, her words helped ease the ache in my chest and we chatted for a while longer but as the day wore on, my thoughts drifted back to Nicholas. The mate bond felt strained, a dull ache in my heart.

He hadn’t returned since he left me the essentials earlier, and the sun was sinking below the horizon. The bond between us stirred uneasily, making me wonder where he was and who he was with.

"He could be with Sofia," a voice whispered in the back of my mind. My wolf growled softly at the thought, her possessiveness flaring.

"Are you okay?" Ashley asked, her sharp senses picking up on my tension.

"I’m fine," I lied. "Can we step outside?. Let’s get some fresh air. I think I need it."

Ashley nodded and helped me into my bboots then ww walked outside. Once outside, She led me to a garden on the edge of the pack lands, a hidden gem surrounded by tall trees

"This is beautiful," I murmured, taking in the sight of moonflowers glowing softly under the rising moon. The air was filled with the faint scent of lavender, my favorite. My wolf purred too in approval at the lavender

We walked deeper into the garden, enjoying its serenity, and the way the soft crunch of gravel underfoot mingled with the sound of crickets. The tranquility soothed my wolf, though a small part of me still longed for Nicholas's presence.

 Ashley’s phone buzzed, and she stepped away to take the call.  "Go on ahead," she said. "I’ll catch up with you in a minute." I nodded and I walked forward, letting the calming scents soothe my nerves.

But as I rounded one of the trees in the garden, a familiar voice froze me in my tracks.

It was Nicholas, and he wasn’t alone. He was again with Sofia.

I crept closer, my wolf sharpening my senses. Through the shadows, I spotted them near the edge of the garden, standing too close for my comfort.

"I miss those days, Nicholas," Sofia’s voice drifted through the still night air, laced with a sickening sweetness. "The runs through the forest, the hunts under the full moon… everything was so perfect back then. Just you and me. Just us."

Nicholas's voice came next, low but firm. "Sofia, those days are gone. I have a mate now—Renna,  my Luna."

My heart fluttered at his words, the bond between us warming slightly but Sofia wasn’t deterred. She stepped closer to him, her tone dripping with nostalgia.

"Don’t you miss it, Nicholas? Miss me? Not even a little?" she asked. "We had something special once. You can’t tell me it meant nothing to you."

Nicholas sighed, his shoulders tense. "I miss the simplicity of that time, but I don’t miss us. That part of my life is over."

That was all I needed to hear. Relief surged through me, but so did a pang of hurt. Nicholas wasn’t falling for her manipulations, but her presence was still a wedge between us. Why was she still so close to him? Why was she even here at all?

I turned to leave, desperate to put distance between myself and the painful scene. But in my haste, I slammed into someone, solid and warm. A growl rumbled in my chest as I stumbled back.